Safety latch lock indicator for railcar door operation mechanism

ABSTRACT

A safety latch lock indicator for a railcar door operation mechanism is disclosed. In one aspect, the present invention teaches a railway car having an underframe and at least one hopper for transporting lading. The underframe including a center sill which defines in part a longitudinal axis of the railway car. A respective door assembly mounted adjacent to the discharge opening formed proximate to a lower portion of the hopper to control the flow of lading from the hopper. The door assembly moves via the discharge control system between a first and second position relative to the discharge opening. An indicator may extend from a side of the railway car as the door assembly moves between the first and second positions, wherein a portion of the indicator becomes visible from at least one side of the railway car.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent applicationentitled “Safety Latch Lock Indicator for Railcar Door OperationMechanism,” Application Ser. No. 60/600,290 filed Aug. 10, 2004.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related in general to railcars and moreparticularly to a safety latch lock indicator for railcars whichdischarge cargo or lading from below an associated railway carunderframe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Railway hopper cars with one or more hoppers have been used for manyyears to transport and sometimes store dry, bulk materials. Hopper carsare frequently used to transport coal, sand, metal ores, ballast,aggregates, grain and any other type of lading which may besatisfactorily discharged through respective openings formed in one ormore hoppers. Respective discharge openings are typically provided at ornear the bottom of each hopper to rapidly discharge cargo. A variety ofdoor assemblies and gate assemblies along with various operatingmechanisms have been used to open and close discharge openingsassociated with railway hopper cars.

Hopper cars may be classified as open or closed. Hopper cars may haverelatively short sidewalls and end walls or relatively tall or highsidewalls and end walls. The sidewalls and end walls of many hopper carsare typically reinforced with a plurality of vertical side stakes. Thesidewalls and end walls are typically formed from steel or aluminumsheets. Some hopper cars include interior frame structures or braces toprovide additional support for the sidewalls.

Due to the construction of hopper cars, many are bottom loading andunloading cars that include opening and closing gates located underneaththe railcar. Through the use of linkages and several moving elements, anair cylinder is able to move the linkages to open and close the bottomgates on the railcars. Because the air cylinder is typically locatedunderneath the railcar, it is often difficult to see whether the aircylinder is moved to a fully closed and locked position. Therefore, aperson or other type of device must be used to determine whether the aircylinder has been moved to the locked position prior to loading therailcar or moving the railcar between locations prior to emptying thecontents or lading from the railcar.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with teachings of the present invention, severaldisadvantages and problems associated with railway cars having dischargecontrol systems and indicators to show the status of the dischargesystem have been substantially reduced or eliminated. One embodiment ofthe present invention includes a railway car having at least one hopperfor transporting lading and a safety indicator associated withdischarging lading. The railway car may include an underframe includinga center sill which defines in part a longitudinal axis of the railwaycar and a discharge opening formed proximate to a lower portion of thehopper. A respective door assembly may be mounted adjacent to thedischarge opening to control the flow of lading from the hopper. Thedoor assembly may be operable for movement between a first, closedposition and a second, open position relative to the discharge opening.A discharge control system operable to move the door assembly betweenthe first position and the second position. An indicator may extend orappear from at least one side of the railway car as the door assemblymoves between the first position and the second position, wherein aportion of the indicator become visible from the at least one side ofthe railway car.

For some applications the indicator may be visible to an observerviewing along the length of an associated railway car. The presentinvention avoids having to view a railway car from a generallyperpendicular direction to determine the status of an associated doorassembly. For some applications respective indicators associated withmultiple railway cars may be satisfactorily observed by looking down thelength of the railway cars.

One aspect of the present invention includes a discharge control systemwhich may be mounted on various types of railway cars to controldischarge of lading when the railway car is stationary at a dischargefacility or when the railway car is moving relative to a dischargefacility. The discharge control system may be satisfactorily used withhopper cars having longitudinal discharge openings and associated gateor door assemblies. For example, a discharge control system may includean air cylinder able to move a plurality of linkage to open and closethe door assembly. An indicator may be associated with the dischargecontrol system to provide a visual indication from the side of therailway car whether the system is placed in a secured lockedorientation.

In accordance with another teaching of the present invention, anindicator for a discharge control system that controls the flow oflading from a hopper in the railway car may include a latch componentoperably coupled to a portion of the discharge control system. The latchcomponent may move between a first, secured position and a second, openor unsecured position based on the movement of the discharge controlsystem between an open position and a closed position. The latchcomponent may be mechanically linked to an indicator portion. Theindicator portion may extend (appear) and retract (disappear) from atleast one side of the railway car to provide a user with visibleindication of the position of the discharge control system. The statusof respective discharge control systems associated with multiple railwaycars may be simultaneously determined by looking along the sides ofadjacent railway cars. Observations made along the length of a trainhaving multiple railway cars with such indicators may quickly orsimultaneously indicate the status of each discharge control system.

For some embodiments, a method of indicating status of a dischargecontrol system in a railway car includes moving a door assembly betweena first, closed position and a second, open position using the dischargecontrol system. The discharge control system may control the flow oflading through the door assembly. The method further includes extendingand retracting a portion of an indicator from at least one side of arailway car based on displacement of the latch component.

Technical benefits of the present inventions include an economicalindicator for determining whether the discharge system on a railway caris in a secure status. Having a highly visible indicator on the side ofeach railway car permits a user to readily view several railway carssimultaneously prior to loading/unloading the lading from the hoppers.In addition, the railway cars may be readily checked prior to and evenduring transportation for ensuring that the associated discharge systemis in a secure status. Because operation of the indicator may be basedon operation of the associated door assembly mechanism, any movement bythe door assembly may allow a user to determine a changed condition withthe associated railcar via the indicator.

Other technical benefits of the present invention include relativelyeasy adjustments which may be made to an indicator linkage to determinea secure position for a discharge system. Because the position of theindicator may be based on a common air cylinder or actuator, adjustmentsto the indicator are relatively easy. For some embodiments, theindicator may be set to indicate a secure status when the position ofthe mechanism has moved beyond an over center locking position.

Further technical benefits of the present invention include oneindicator placed at one end of the railway car that indicates theposition of multiple door assemblies. Because all of the door assembliesmay use a common actuator such as an air cylinder that is connected tomultiple door assemblies via a common linkage extending generallyperpendicular to the direction of each door assembly swings, theindicator typically indicates whether all of the associated doorassemblies are in secured or unsecured position.

Further technical benefits of the present invention include providingindication of the status of associated door assemblies or gates from anactuator on one or both sides of a railway car. Because the indicatormay use a variety of linkages such as translating a axial displacementin to a rotational displacement, one of the indicator linkages may allowthe position of the indicator to be located at one end of the railwaycar. The indicator may be extended from one side of the car above theminimum safe level for railway car operations and readily visible to arailcar operator.

All, some, or none of these technical advantages may be present invarious embodiments of the present invention. Other technical advantageswill be apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures,descriptions, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and theadvantages thereof, reference is now made to the following writtendescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing in elevation with portions broken awayshowing a side view of a railway car incorporating teachings of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing showing a plan view with portions brokenaway of taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing in section with portions broken away takenlong lines 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing portions of an indicator for adischarge control system incorporating teachings of the presentinvention with a pair of door assemblies in their first, closedposition;

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing in section with portions broken awayshowing portions of the indicator for the discharge control system ofFIG. 3 with the door assemblies in their second, opened position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic drawing in section with portions brokenaway showing one example of an indicator for a discharge control systemincorporating teachings of the present invention satisfactory forindicating a locked or closed position of associated door assemblies;

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing in section and in elevation with portionsbroken away showing a side view of the indicator for the dischargecontrol system of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing in section with portions broken awayshowing a side view of the indicator mechanism for the discharge controlsystem;

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing in section and in elevation showing theindicator mechanism for the discharge control system taken along longlines 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9A is a schematic drawing in section with portions broken awayshowing a end view of the indicator mechanism for the discharge controlsystem in closed position of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9B is a schematic drawing in section with portions broken awayshowing an end view of the indicator moved to an open position with endportions extending from the sides of the railcar as shown along lines9-9 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing in section with portions broken awayshowing a side view of an example embodiment of the indicator extendingfrom a side of the railcar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the invention and its advantages are bestunderstood by referring to FIGS. 1-10 of the drawings. Like numbers maybe used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.

Various features of the present invention will be described with respectto hopper car 20 which may be satisfactorily used to carry coal andother types of lading. Hopper car 20 may be generally described as anopen hopper car with bottom discharge openings or outlets. Respectivedoor assemblies or gates may be opened and closed to control dischargeof lading from the discharge openings or outlets of hopper car 20.However, the present invention is not limited to open hopper cars orhopper cars that carry coal. For example, various features of thepresent invention may be satisfactorily used with closed hopper cars,hopper cars that carry grain, other types of hopper car and ballastcars.

Hopper car 20 incorporating teachings of the present invention is shownin FIGS. 1-7 with a pair of sidewall assemblies 30 a, 30 b, bottom slopesheet assemblies 40 a and 40 b and sloped end wall assemblies 80 a and80 b mounted on railway car underframe 50. Railway car underframe 50includes center sill 52 and side sills 54 a and 54 b. See FIGS. 3 and 4.Side sills 54 a and 54 b extend generally parallel with center sill 52and are spaced laterally from opposite sides of center sill 52. Aplurality of cross bearers 60 may be mounted on center sill 52. Sidesills 54 a and 54 b may be attached to opposite ends of cross bearers60. A pair of railway trucks 22 and 24 may be attached to opposite endsof center sill 52. For embodiments of the present invention asrepresented by hopper car 20, center sill 52 has a generally rectangularcross-section with a generally triangular-shaped dome or cover 56disposed thereon.

Sidewall assemblies 30 a and 30 b may have approximately the sameoverall configuration and dimensions. Therefore, only sidewall assembly30 b will be described in detail. Sidewall assembly 30 b preferablyincludes top cord 32 b with a plurality of side stakes 34 extendingbetween top cord 32 b and side sill 54 b. Side stakes 34 may also bespaced laterally from each other along the length of top cord 32 b andside sill 54 b. A plurality of metal sheets 36 may be securely attachedwith interior portions of top cord 32 b, side stakes 34 and side sill 54b. In a similar manner, sidewall assembly 30 a preferably includes topcord 32 a, side stakes 34 and metal sheets 36.

For purposes of describing various features associated with the presentinvention metal sheets 36 which form the interior surface of sidewallassembly 30 a have been designated 36 a. In a similar manner metalsheets 36 which form the interior surface of sidewall assembly 30 b havebeen designated as 36 b. See FIGS. 3 and 4.

Bottom slope sheet assemblies 40 a and 40 b may have approximately thesame overall dimensions and configuration. Therefore, only bottom slopesheet assembly 40 b will be described in more detail. Bottom slope sheetassembly 40 b preferably includes a plurality of angles 42 extendinginwardly from side sill 54 a to bottom cord 44 b. Bottom cord 44 b andtop cord 32 b may be formed from hollow metal tubes having a generallyrectangular configuration. A plurality of metal sheets 46 may beattached with interior surfaces of respective angles 42 and bottom cord44 b. Metal sheets, 36 and 46 may have similar specifications andthickness. For some applications, an additional angle 48 b may beattached to the opposite side of bottom cord 44 b to provide additionalstructural strength for assembly of hopper car 20. Bottom cord 44 b andangle 48 b preferably extend along substantially the full length ofhopper car 20. In a similar manner, bottom slope sheet assembly 40 apreferably includes angles 42, metal sheets 46, bottom cord 44 a and anadditional angle 48 a.

Bottom slope sheet assemblies 40 a and 40 b may be attached withrespective side sills 54 a and 54 b. Slope sheet assemblies 40 a and 40b preferably extend inward at an angle from respective side sills 54 aand 54 b to a location proximate bottom clearance or minimum clearancefor railway car 20 relative to associated railway tracks (not expresslyshown). For embodiments of the present invention represented by hoppercar 20 slope sheet assemblies 40 a and 40 b may extend at an angle ofapproximately forty five (45°) degrees relative to respective sidewallassemblies 30 a and 30 b.

Portions of bottom slope sheet assembly 40 a cooperate with adjacentportions of center sill 52 and dome 56 to define longitudinal dischargeopenings 26 a. In a similar manner portions of bottom slope sheetassembly 40 b cooperate with adjacent portions of center sill 52 anddome 56 to define in part longitudinal discharge openings 26 b. See FIG.4. Longitudinal discharge openings 26 a and 26 b are preferably disposedalong opposite sides of center sill 52. For some applications a hoppercar may be formed in accordance with teachings of the present inventionwith more than one hopper and more than two longitudinal dischargeopenings. The present invention is not limited to hopper cars with onlytwo longitudinal discharge openings.

A plurality of longitudinal door assemblies 70 a and 70 b are preferablyhinged proximate the upper portion of center sill 52 adjacent to domeassembly 56. Longitudinal door assemblies 70 a and 70 b may also bedescribed as “swinging longitudinal slope sheets.” Longitudinal doorassemblies 70 a and 70 b may be formed with overall dimensions andconfigurations similar to bottom slope sheet assemblies 40 a and 40 b.Attaching longitudinal door assemblies 70 a and 70 b proximate the upperportion of center sill 52 in accordance with teachings of the presentinvention may increase the volume of lading which is carried withinhopper car 20 and may also reduce the center of gravity when hopper car20 is loaded.

Various types of mechanical hinges may be satisfactorily used torespectively engage door assemblies 70 with dome assembly 56 proximatethe upper portion of center sill 52. For embodiments of the presentinvention as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, piano type hinges 72 may be usedto rotatably attach or pivotally attach door assemblies 70 proximateupper portions of center sill 52. However, in alternate embodiments,hinge assemblies 72 may include any suitable hinge to allow doorassemblies 70 to move between an open and closed position. For purposesof describing various features of the present invention door assemblies70 have been designated as 70 a and 70 b. Hinge assemblies 72 have beendesignated as 72 a and 72 b.

Each door assembly 70 a and 70 b preferably includes a first, closedposition which prevents the discharge of lading from hopper car 20 (seeFIG. 3) and a second, open position which allows lading to be dischargedfrom hopper car 20 (see FIG. 4). For some applications longitudinal doorassemblies 70 a and 70 b may be directly attached to or directly coupledwith the upper portion of center sill 52. For some applications thelength of longitudinal openings 26 a and 26 b and door assemblies 70 aand 70 b may be approximately twenty-nine (29) feet.

Door assemblies 70 formed in accordance with teachings of the presentinvention may extend along approximately the full length of respectivelongitudinal discharge openings 26 a and 26 b. The overall empty carweight of hopper car 20 may be reduced as compared to prior hopper cars.As such, the cost associated with manufacture and maintenance of hoppercar 20 may also be reduced. Door assembly 70 may be formed using metalplates 96 a and 96 b having similar thickness and other characteristicsassociated with metal plates 36 and 46. Respective angles 98 a and 98 bmay be attached with the longitudinal edge of each door assembly 98 aand 98 b opposite from respective hinges 92 a and 92 b. For someapplication angles 98 a and 98 b may be replaced by an I-beam, a Z-beamor any other suitable structural shape.

As shown in FIG. 5, respective longitudinal recesses 99 a and 99 b maybe formed along an edge of each door assembly 90 a and 90 b oppositefrom respective hinges 92 a and 92 b. The overall dimensions andconfiguration of recesses 99 a and 99 b may be selected to be compatiblewith the dimensions and configuration of respective angles 48 a and 48b. As shown in FIG. 3 recesses 99 a and 99 b cooperate with respectiveangles 48 a and 48 b to help seal respective longitudinal dischargeopenings 26 a and 26 b to eliminate or substantially minimize anyleakage of lading from hopper car 20. Various types of sealingmechanisms may be satisfactorily used to engage a door assembly withadjacent portions of a bottom slope sheet assembly in accordance withteaching of the present invention. The present invention is not limitedto use with recesses 99 and angles 48.

End wall assemblies 80 a and 80 b may have approximately the sameoverall configuration and dimensions. Therefore, only end wall assembly80 a will be described in detail. For some applications end wallassembly 80 a may include sloped portion 82 a and a generally verticalportion 84 a. Sloped end wall assembly 80 a may be formed from one ormore metal sheet 86. For embodiments of the present invention as shownin FIGS. 1-7, hopper car 20 may be generally described as having asingle hopper defined in part by sidewall assemblies 30 a, 30 b and endwall assemblies 80 a and 80 b. Other railway cars formed in accordancewith teachings of the present invention may include two or more hoppers.

A plurality of interior supporting structures or interior braceassemblies 100 may be disposed within hopper car 20 extending betweensidewall assemblies 30 a and 30 b and bottom slope sheet assemblies 40 aand 40 b. Interior supporting structures are typically formed fromstructural members such as plates, angles, bars, channels, beams,tubing, a combination of different structures, or any other structuralmember.

Each interior brace assembly 100 preferably includes respectivehorizontal cross bearers 130 and 135 extending from respective sidesills 54 a and 54 b and connecting to center attachment member 110.Various types of mechanical fasteners such as bolts and huck fastenersand/or welding techniques may be satisfactorily used to securely attachinterior brace assembly 100. For example, cross bearer 130 may bolt torespective side sill 54 b using plate member 131 b at first end 130 aand second end 130 b of cross bearer 130 couples with center attachmentmember 110. Similarly, cross bearer 135 may connect to respective sidesill 54 a using plate member 131 a at first end 135 a and second end 135b of cross bearer 135 couples with center attachment member 110

Upper diagonal braces 120 and 125 preferably extend between sidewallassemblies 30 a and 30 b and center attachment member 110. For theembodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 3, first end 120 aof upper diagonal brace 120 may be secured proximate sidewall assembly30 b at connector plate 102 b and extend diagonally to connect withcenter attachment member 110 at second end 120 b. Similarly, first end125 a of upper diagonal brace 125 may be secured proximate sidewallassembly 30 a by connector plate 102 a and extend diagonally to connectwith center attachment member 110 at second end 125 a.

Lower diagonal braces 140 and 145 preferably extend between bottom slopesheet assemblies 40 a and 40 b and center attachment member 110. Firstend 140 a of lower diagonal brace 140 preferably couples to bottom cord44 b and angle 48 b of bottom slope sheet assembly 40 b being secured byconnector plate 141 b. Second end 140 b of lower diagonal brace 140 maybe secured with center attachment member 110. In a similar manner firstend 145 a of lower diagonal brace 145 may be connected with bottom cord44 a and angle 48 a of sloped sheet assembly 40 a by connector plate 141a. Second end 145 b of lower diagonal brace 145 may be secured withcenter attachment member 110.

Horizontal brace 105 preferably extends between sidewall assemblies 30 aand 30 b. First end 105 a of horizontal crosspiece 105 may be engagedwith connector 102 a. Second end 105 b of horizontal brace 105 may besecurely engaged with connector plate 102 b. Pairs of connector plates102 a and 102 b are preferably mounted on interior surfaces of sidewallassemblies 30 a and 30 b at locations generally aligned with respectivehorizontal cross bearers 130 and 135.

Various types of operating assemblies formed in accordance withteachings of the present invention may be satisfactorily used to openand close longitudinal door assemblies 70 a and 70 b. For theembodiments shown in FIGS. 1-10 discharge controlled system 160 includesoperating assembly or opening and closing assembly 150 along with doorconnector assembly 170.

Discharge control system 160 incorporating teachings of the presentinvention generally has pivot points and linkages and no torsionmembers, incorporates over center locking, and simplified adjustment.Discharge control system 160 incorporating teachings of the presentsystem may operate gates or doors 90 a and 90 b by pushing or pullingwith air cylinder 152, hydraulic cylinder or other type of actuator viaa common linkage such as clevis 180 centered under center sill 52 ofrailcar 20 or highway truck (not expressly shown) longitudinally. Thecommon linkage or clevis 180 may be attached to secondary linkages suchas bar 162 and arms 174 a and 174 b that connect to door assemblies 70or gates 90 a and 90 b on both sides that are swung up or down dependingon the direction of the common linkage.

Gates 90 a and 90 b may be hinged proximate center sill 52 or othercentrally located structure with hinges 72 a and 72 b orientedlongitudinally and above the common linkage. Each secondary linkage suchas arm 174 a and 174 b provides the lower horizontal leg of a triangularshaped mechanism consisting of gate 90 a and 90 b as the hypotenuse andthe common linkage such as bar 162 and centrally located structure orcenter sill 52 as the upright leg in a closed position. The secondarylinkages such as arms 174 a and 174 b may be pushed or pulled pastcenter to provide a positive lock on gates 90 a and 90 b, commonly knownas over center locking. The secondary linkages may be symmetrical toeach other and provide an equilibrium of the transverse forces bothwhile operating and in a locked position.

Only relatively simple adjustments are required such as lengthening orshortening secondary linkages such as arms 174 a and 174 b untilrespective gates 90 a and 90 b are closed with sufficient preload. Anover center lock is adjusted by a stop (not expressly shown) at the endof the common linkage such as bar 162 which can be adjustedlongitudinally to increase or decrease the desired travel of the commonlinkage. The secondary linkages or arms 174 a and 174 b rotate into acompound angle mainly oriented in the longitudinal direction parallel tothe common linkage when gates 90 a and 90 b are in the open position androtate into a mainly perpendicular position to the common linkage whengates 90 a and 90 b are in the closed position. Additional secondarylinks (not expressly shown) can be added to carry heavier loads betweengates 90 a and 90 b and the common central linkage such as bar 162.Multiple gate arc travel (not expressly shown) can be accomplished bychanging the secondary linkages lengths.

For embodiments of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 1-10operating assembly 150 preferably includes air cylinder 152 with piston154 and piston rod 156 disposed therein. Piston 154 and piston rod 156may be slidably disposed within air cylinder 152. Piston 154 divides theinterior of air cylinder 152 into two variable volume fluid chambers 158a and 158 b. Air pressure can be applied to one chamber 158 a or 158 band air pressure may be released from or vented from the other variablevolume fluid chamber causing piston 154 to move within air cylinder 152.Because of this movement, piston rod coupled to piston 154 moves orreciprocates longitudinally relative to center sill 52 and othercomponents associated with railway car underframe 50.

Typically, air cylinder 152 is formed proximate to a lower portion ofthe hopper such as proximate center sill 52. However, air cylinder 152may be formed, located, placed, coupled or disposed with any portion ofhopper car 20. In one embodiment of the present invention, air cylinder152 is located beneath center sill 52.

In alternate embodiments of the present invention, operating assembly150 may replace or supplement air cylinder 152 with any suitable driveactuator for providing a reciprocating longitudinally movement relativeto center sill 52 and other components associated with railway carunderframe 50. For example, operating assembly 150 may include anelectrically operated motor (not expressly shown). Other examples ofdrive actuators including, but not limited to, hydraulic actuators,pneumatic actuators, electric actuators, manual actuators such as geareddrives, and any other suitable drive actuators.

One end of piston rod 156 is preferably connected to for fitted withclevis 180 that connects with an adjacent end of plank or connectorplate 161. For embodiments of the invention as shown in FIG. 6 connectorplate or plank 161 preferably includes a connection end thatinterconnect with clevis 180 such as pin 161 a inserted through cleviseye 180 a of clevis 180. The opposing end of connector plank 161includes a generally rectangular cross section that connects to bar 162.For some applications connector plank 161 may extend along substantiallythe full length of discharge controlled system 160 longitudinallyrelative to center sill 52. For other applications two or more operatingassemblies may be coupled with center sill 52 in accordance withteachings of the present invention. In yet other applications, connectorplank 161 may form a part of bar 162 such that bar 62 connects directlywith clevis 180.

Connectors or brackets 164 may be attached with center sill 52 andrespectively engaged with bar 162. Generally, the dimensions of bracket164 are preferably selected to allow bar 162 to slide or move withinbracket 164 longitudinally with respect to center sill 52. Bracket 164may be used to maintain bar 162 respective distance from center sill andin alignment with respect to center sill 52. In some embodiments, aninsert member (not shown) may be disposed between bar 162 and bracket164 to reduce the friction of the sliding motion.

For embodiments of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 3-7, eachdoor 70 a and 70 b may include one or more respective door connectorassemblies 170. Each door connector assembly 170 preferably includes arespective boss or socket 172 attached with bar 162 opposite from centersill 52. Each door connector assembly 170 also preferably includes apair of arms 174 a and 174 b which may extend laterally from operatingassembly 150 to engage respective longitudinal door assemblies 70 a and70 b. First end 176 of each arm 174 a and 174 b preferably includes arespective ball joint (not expressly shown) which may be rotatablyengaged with socket or boss 172. Second end 178 of each arm 174 a and174 b may be rotatably engaged with each door assembly 70 a and 70 bopposite from associated hinges spaced from respective hinges 72 a and72 b.

Longitudinal movement of bar 162 will result in radial extension of arms174 a and 174 b to move door assembly 70 a and 70 b from their second,open position (see FIG. 4) to their first, closed position (see FIG. 3).Movement of bar 162 in the opposite direction relative to center sill 52will result in pulling or moving door assemblies 70 a and 70 b fromtheir first position to their second, open position which allows rapiddischarge of any lading contained within railway hopper car 20.

Referring to FIGS. 1-10, indicator mechanism 200 may include latchcomponent 182 placed adjacent to piston rod 156. For some applicationsindicator mechanism 200 may be referred to as a “safety latch lockindicator”. However, indicator mechanism incorporating teachings of thepresent invention may be used to indicate the status of variouscomponents associated with a railway car discharge system. Indicatormechanism incorporating teachings of the present invention may be usedto indicate the status of any component associate with a railway carwhen the component is moved between a first position and a secondposition by discharge control system 160.

In one embodiment, latch component 182 is mounted above piston rod 156on mounting bracket 183 extending longitudinally from air cylinder 152along center sill 52. Latch component 182 may be pivotally mounted onmounting bracket 183 and disposed between center sill 52 and clevis 180to allow the force of gravity to cause latch component to rest againstclevis lever 181 disposed on clevis 180.

Generally, latch component 182 is designed of sufficient length to allowclevis lever 181 to maintain contact with lever component 182 throughoutthe entire length of stroke of piston rod 156. As clevis lever 181 movesalong latch component 182, clevis lever 181 may move between two regionsof latch component 182, namely a safe latched position 184 a and an openposition 184 b. In some embodiments, these two regions are divided bypeak 184 that sets a limit for indicating the minimally safe position ofoperating assembly or opening and closing assembly 150.

When discharge controlled system 160 moves to a first, closed position,as illustrated in FIG. 3, clevis lever 181 may move along latchcomponent 182 to the closed indication position whereby door assemblies70 a and 70 b are safely locked closed. Similarly, when dischargecontrolled system 160 moves to a second, open position, as illustratedin FIG. 4, clevis lever 181 may move along latch component 182 to theopen indication position whereby the door assemblies 70 a and 70 b arenot safely locked closed. For example, in some embodiments, by movingpiston rod 156 into a retracted position creates the closed positionsuch that clevis lever 181 is positioned on region 184 a of latchcomponent 182.

Generally, latch component 182 has a varied thickness between closedindication region 184 a and open indication region 184 b. In one exampleembodiment, the thickness of closed indication region 184 a on latchcomponent 182 is approximately three-quarters of an inch greater thanopen indication region 184 b. For the purposes of this disclosure, openindication means placing door assemblies 70 a and 79 b in any positionthat is not adequately or safely locked. Thus, as clevis lever 181 movesbetween the two regions 184 b and 184 a, latch component 182 pivots ormoves with respect to clevis 180 a distance based on the differences inthickness.

Safety latch lock indicator mechanism 200 preferably includes latch rod186 connected to a portion of latch component 182. Based on the movementof latch component 182, latch rod 186 is also displaced. In oneinstance, latch rod 186 lifts upward approximately three-quarters of aninch.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, latch rod 186 may extend through center sill52 and couple to cam 188. Cam 188 is able to translate the movement oflatch rod 186 from a first direction into a second direction ororientation. For instance, latch rod 186 may displace between twopositions and cause cam 188 to rotate about a center point, namelyconnection rod 190. In one example embodiment, latch rod 186 liftsupward approximately three-quarters of an inch to move from an openindication position to a closed indication position. Based on themovement, cam 188 may rotate counter-clockwise approximately thirtydegrees. Generally, the rotation of cam 188 causes connection rod 190 torotate.

Typically, connecting rod 190 extends between two bearing 191 and 192with cam 188 and extension cam 193 securely coupled therebetween. Whilethe size of connecting rod 190 is typically one inch in diameter, thelength of connecting rod 190 varies based on the placement of the safetylatch lock indicator in relation to air cylinder 152. Generally, thevaried length allows the relocation of movement of latch component 182to a more accessible place on railway car 20 for indication.

The rotation of cam 188 causes extension cam 193 to rotate based on arotational force transmitted by connecting rod 190. As illustrated inFIG. 9, extension cam 193 may rotate about connecting rod 190 between afirst, open indication position (indicated in phantom) and a second,open indication position (illustrated by the solid lines).

Extension cam 193 typically includes at least one indicator rod 194 and196 coupled at respective position on extension cam 193 and atrespective radii from connecting rod 190. Each indicator rod 194 or 196may further include a multitude of bends or angles that enable the rodto translate the rotational movement of extension cam 193 into a thirdorientation or plane. This translation of movement allow extension rods194 and 196 to extend in an outward direction from center sill 52 suchthat indicator portion 197 and 198 of respective indicator rod 194 and196 extends beyond side wall 30 b and 30 a, as illustrated in FIG. 10.

Similarly, in one example embodiment, as door assemblies 70 a and 70 bare moved to an open position, latch component 182 may lower causing cam188 and extension cam 193 via connecting rod 190 to rotate clockwise.This rotation of extension cam 193 causes extension rods 194 and 196 toreturn to a retracted position.

Based on moving from an open position to a closed position, in oneembodiment, a thirty degree rotation of extension cam 193 causesextension rods 194 and 196 to extend approximately one inch fromrespective side walls 30 b and 30 a. In one instance, indicator portions197 and 198 are highlighted with a high visibility coloring such as“safety orange” to augment visibility of indicator portions 197 and 198for a railcar user/operator.

Typically, colored indicator portions 197 and 198 are visible fromrespective sides 30 b and 30 a of railway car 20. Based on theirvisibility, an operator may readily determine whether door assemblies 70a and 70 b are in a secured locked position. In one example embodiment,door assemblies 70 a and 70 b of railway car 20 are placed in a securedlocked position when indicator portions 197 and 198 are visible.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described indetail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions andalternations can be made herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

1. A railway car having an underframe and at least one hopper for transporting lading, the railway car comprising: the underframe including a center sill which defines in part a longitudinal axis of the railway car; a discharge opening formed proximate to a lower portion of the hopper; a respective door assembly mounted adjacent to the discharge opening to control the flow of lading from the hopper; the door assembly operable for movement between a first, closed position and a second, open position relative to the discharge opening; a discharge control system operable to move the door assembly between the first position and the second position; the discharge control system including an actuator operable to move longitudinally relative to the center sill; an indicator operably coupled to the actuator to extend and retract from at least one side of the railway car as the door assembly moves between the first position and the second position; and a portion of the indicator visible from the at least one side of the railway car when the door assembly is moved to either of the first or second position.
 2. The railway of claim 1 further comprising an open hopper car.
 3. The railway car of claim 1 further comprising a closed hopper car.
 4. The railway car of claim 1 wherein the actuator for the discharge control system further comprises: an air cylinder coupled to the railway car; an operating piston extending from the air cylinder and coupled with a clevis to move the clevis longitudinally with respect to the center sill; and the clevis operably coupled with the indicator.
 5. The railway car of claim 1, wherein the indicator further comprises a latch component operable to move between a first, secured position to a second, unsecured position based on the position of the actuator.
 6. The railway car of claim 1, wherein the indicator further comprises: a connecting rod operably coupled between the actuator and one end of the railway car; and the connecting rod extending from of the actuator to one end of the railway car accommodate positioning the respective indicator at the one end of the railway car.
 7. The railway car of claim 1, further comprising the indicator having a first position and a second position operable to extend and retract from respective sides of the railway car.
 8. The railway car of claim 1 further comprising a highly visible coloration disposed on the portion of the indicator extending from the at least one side.
 9. The railway car of claim 8 wherein the highly visible coloration comprises a safety orange color.
 10. A discharge control system operable to control the flow of lading from a hopper in the railway car, comprising: a latch component operably coupled to a portion of the discharge control system; the latch component operable to move between a first, secured position and a second, open or unsecured position based on the movement of the discharge control system between an open position and a closed position; the latch component mechanically linked to an indicator portion; and the indicator portion operable to appear and disappear from view along at least one side of the railway car such that a user has visible indication of the position of the discharge control system.
 11. The discharge control system of claim 10, wherein the movement of the latch component comprises an axial displacement.
 12. The discharge control system of claim 10 further compromising the indicator portion providing a visual indication of the status of the discharge control system when an observer looks down the length of several associated railway cars.
 13. The discharge control system of claim 10, further comprising: a first cam mechanically coupled between the latch component and the indicator portion; and the first cam operably translates the movement of the latch component into a rotational displacement.
 14. The discharge control system of claim 13, wherein the rotational displacement comprises a displacement of approximately thirty degrees.
 15. The discharge control system of claim 13, further comprising: a connecting rod coupled between the first cam and the indicator portion; and the connecting rod operable to permit the indicator portion to be located near one end of the railway car.
 16. The discharge control system of claim 15, further comprising second cam coupled between the connecting rod and the indicator portion, the second cam operable to translate the rotational movement into an axial displacement such that the indicator portion extends from at least one side of the railcar.
 17. The discharge control system of claim 10, further comprising a highly visible coloration disposed on the indicator portion.
 18. A method of indicating status of a discharge control system associated with a railway car, comprising: moving a door assembly between a first, closed position and a second, open position using the discharge control system to control the flow of lading through the door assembly; displacing a latch component with a portion of the discharge control system as the door assembly moves between the first and second position; and extending and retracting a portion of an indicator from at least one side of a railway car in response to displacement of the latch component.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising translating the displacement of the latch component into a rotational movement using a cam coupled between the latch component and the portion of the indicator extending from the at least one side of the railway car.
 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising exposing a visible coloration on the portion of the indicator extending from the side of the railway car.
 21. The method of claim 18, further comprising extending the portion of the indicator from the side of the railway car to when the discharge control system has moved to the door assembly the second, open position.
 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising, based on the extended portion of the indicator, causing a lading to be placed into the railway car. 